Heading to Portland and the Willamette...best foodie stops?

Hi, Any suggestions for great restaurants/farmers markets/spice shops/restaurant supply stores? best off-the-beaten track vineyards? we have a day and a half in Portland (too short, I know) and three days in the Willamette. We're staying in Newburg when we head to wine country. Many thanks!!

You absolutely MUST eat at Pok Pok. Real Thai, really made from scratch. It's been featured in 3D (Diner's Drive-ins and Dives) and major food magazines, but it has all the down-to-earth qualities that keep it from taking success and making it pretentious. The chicken wings are as good as everyone says, but really you can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
And then hit Voo Doo doughnuts just for fun.

If in Portland on Saturdays, go to the PSU farmers market. Berry season is here and they are wonderful this year. If you are here this Friday and Saturday, the mammoth annual beer festival is going on down by the waterfront. You can't go wrong with Portland restaurants, from Bunk Sandwiches on the really casual end to places like Gruner on the higher end, with lots in between; do some research here: http://www.portlandmonthlymag.... And do try some food carts. I share the recommendation for Painted Lady in Newberg. Our favorite Newberg-area winery to visit is Penner-Ash; fine wines and a great view; also good for picnicing.

tasty n sons: freaking awesome. fairly straightforward preparations but exquisitely prepared. i had a boudin blanc omelette, chicken hash, baked yams with maple syrup and cumin, and the breakfast board last week and thought i might cry it was so good. it's the sister restaurant of toro bravo, as mentioned by hardlikearmour.

meat cheese bread: they have a sandwich that blows my mind: grilled green beans with bacon relish and perfectly boiled egg. when i got off the plane last week, i had my sister drive me there straight away.

simpatica: if you can get into one of their reasonably priced, fantastically seasonal prix fixe dinners on friday or saturday night, go. you have to reserve via email, so get on their mailing list to get notifications. if you are in pdx on a sunday morning GO TO BRUNCH THERE. portland is a huge breakfast town, and i have had many amazing morning meals, but there is something about simpatica that just makes me swoon.

laurelhurst market: if you're there during the day, get a sandwich at the butcher counter. porchetta if it's available or the italian meat combo. freaking delicious. i always try to take one of their sandwiches home on the plane with me. at dinner, the restaurant is a steakhouse. the fries are rad, the pork chop is ridiculous (in a good way, of course), and we had a green bean side dish that for me stole the show. it's the sister restaurant of simpatica.

alder pastry and dessert: seriously french pastries, beautifully done. also great homemade gelato. insider alert! at 11 each night, there is pastry "happy hour" where all the dry pastries (croissant, danish, financiers) are all $1!!! everything is reasonably priced already, but you can't beat a deal like that.

saturday farmers' market: it's downtown, huge, has several prepared food stands, and is lots of fun.

Wow, y'all! This is fabulous! Thank you so much! Wish I'd managed to change our dinner reservs for last night as Higgins was pretty avg. We will fix that for Tuesday night! Heading out soon for coffee and the PSU market, then to the willamette. Definitely planning on the painted lady and the mushroom place and have reserv at thistle! Many thanks! Em-i-lis

Hi HLA- I hear u; wish we'd gone to gruner too but the PSA mrkt was awesome, and uprooted, a food truck in newberg was phenomenal. Went to Chehalem, brick house and Penner-ash today. Awesome. To Joel Palmer house tonight. Aran cara tmrw among others, natalie's estate Monday. The Allison is fabulous. Thanks all!

Tanuki in Portland has amazing Japanese food. Not sushi, not tempura. real Izakaya menu. food is the best! and In McMinnville, Nick's Italian Cafe. Looks like a nothing place, but inside it's amazing. They make their own charcuterie. All I can say is WOW.

hi there chefjune. nick's was closed while we were in newberg- sunday/monday seems to be a tough day. but no worries, we stuffed ourselves silly with food and wine the rest of the time. laurelhurst market was fabulous- thanks HLA. also came across an amazing tamale stand at the tuesday "taste of portland" thing in pioneer square. i think i'm still stuffed and we returned two days ago. :)